Whether you have a compact courtyard, a small patio or a modest back garden, limited space doesn’t mean you have to compromise on style or functionality. With a few clever design ideas and the right choice of plants, even the smallest outdoor space can feel spacious, inviting and full of character. From creating the illusion of more room to choosing low-maintenance planting and multi-purpose features, these simple tips will help you make the most of every square metre and transform your small garden into a beautiful place to relax and enjoy.
Do you need a lawn?
Do you really need a lawn? If not, consider filling the space with interesting, low maintenance plants instead. Not only can this create an attractive and varied garden, but if you have no lawn, you also have no need to store a lawnmower, helping to free up valuable storage space.
Make entertaining easy
If you enjoy entertaining, opt for easy to store, folding tables and chairs that can be put away when not in use. Alternatively, build in benches with lift up seating, which also doubles as storage. Raised beds with wide brick tops can also double as seating, making them a practical addition to a small garden.
Rethink the layout
For gardens which are long and narrow, using circles for the open spaces or positioning square patios on a diagonal can make your garden feel bigger. These simple layout choices can help make the most of the available space and improve the overall feel of the garden.
Keep it simple
Keep your design simple by opting for a limited range of plants, colours and landscaping materials. A more restrained planting scheme can create a cohesive look, while blue, white and purple flowers make a garden seem bigger.
Don’t be afraid of larger plants
Don’t assume you have to use only small plants. It is better to have a few larger plants or small trees, and a few well chosen compact shrubs and perennials, than hundreds of small plants. The trees will add privacy and provide shade in summer, while repetition of plants creates a calming atmosphere
Add height
Tall slim plants draw the eye upwards to the sky, making the space feel bigger. An obelisk covered in sweet peas or runner beans gives height in summer, while tall perennials, like alliums and crocosmia, add vertical accents throughout the garden.
Maximise your borders
Make your borders as wide as possible, even if this means only having borders on one side. Lifting the crown of trees or taller shrubs will give more room to plant underneath, creating tiers of planting and making the most of the available growing space.
Choose plants with year-round interest
Choose plants with multiple seasons of interest, including foliage, flowers, berries, bark and structure. Evergreen topiary provides year-round interest, while pots of seasonal planting can be changed every spring and autumn to keep your garden looking fresh.
Use your boundaries
Use your boundaries to your advantage. Tall fencing surrounding a small space will feel claustrophobic, so greening up walls or fences with trained espaliers or climbing plants will bring a lush, relaxed feel and can even provide delicious scent. Adding a garden mirror will reflect back light and make the space seem larger.
Light up your garden
Use solar lights to highlight features and allow you to sit outside for longer. They can help you continue enjoying your garden into the evening while drawing attention to key planting or garden features.
Our Top Plants for Small Spaces
Trees
Japanese Acers, Amelanchier ‘Obelisk’, Cercis canadensis, Cordyline australis, Cornus Kousa, Corylus maxima ‘Purpurea’, Hamamelis, Malus ‘Jelly King’, Olea, Trachycarpus
Shrubs
Abelia grandiflora, Buxus, Buddleja (Buzz Series), Camellia, Cistus, Cornus alba ‘Elegantissima’, Daphne, Euonymus fortunei, Fuchsia, Hebe, Hydrangea, Hypericum, Ilex, Laurus nobilis (topiary), Lavandula, Mahonia ‘Soft Caress’, Nandina domestica, Perovskia, Phormium, Pieris, Rhododendron, Rosa (repeat flowering), Rosmarinus, Sarcococca, Skimmia, Syringa ‘Palibin’, Santolina, Syringa ‘Red Pixie’, Viburnum
Climbers
Abutilon, Clematis, Hedera, Hydrangea petiolaris, Jasminum officinale, Lonicera, Rosa (repeat flowering), Solanum, Trachelospermum
Perennials
Achillea, Agapanthus, Alstroemeria, Anemone hupehensis, Bergenia, Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, Dahlia, Dianthus, Erigeron karvinskianus, Erysimum ‘Bowles Mauve’, Euphorbia wulfenii, Geranium ‘Rozanne’, Heuchera, Hosta, Nepeta, Osteospermum, Penstemons, Salvia, Scabious, Verbena
Grasses
Anemanthele, Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’, Carex, Festuca, Hakonechloa, Ophiopogon, Panicum, Pennisetum, Stipa tenuissima
Ferns
Adiantum aleuticum, Asplenium scolopendrium, Blechnum spicant, Cyrtomium falcatum, Cyrtomium fortunei, Dryopteris affinis, Dryopteris erythrosora, Polystichum Plumosum, Polystichum setiferum ‘Herrenhausen’
Continue your Gardening Journey
Need a little extra advice? Visit your local Tates of Sussex Garden Centre today, where our friendly knowledgeable, team will be happy to help you choose the right plants and offer expert guidance.
